Another player with an elite trait is joining Manchester City
Manchester City have a squad filled with players who have elite traits that form key aspects of their play. For example, Gianluigi Donnarumma is an elite shot-stopper. Erling Haaland is an elite finisher. Elliot Anderson thrives at winning duels, which helps form a key component of his play. Jeremy Doku, Rayan Cherki and Antoine Semenyo all thrive in beating defenders in one-on-one situations with their dribbling ability. That trio all do it in a different way which complements the other outstanding attributes of their play. Now, Manchester City are on the verge of signing another player with an elite trait in Iliman Ndiaye. Ndiaye’s ability to thrive with the ball at his feet will be another weapon for Enzo Maresca to unleash.
Manchester City will be adding another elite dribbler to their ranks in Iliman Ndiaye.
Enzo Maresca sets his team up to create one-on-one situations for the wingers to thrive in. This has been impossible to ignore across Manchester City’s preseason friendlies and opening matches of the 2026-27 season. When Manchester City seal the deal that will bring Iliman Ndiaye from Everton to the Etihad, they’ll be adding a player who looks to be ideally suited to life in an Enzo Maresca side.
A look at Iliman Ndiaye’s statistics in terms of take ons and completed take on percentage shows a clear strength in his game. The Senegalese international completed 73 take ons last season. He was second in this category in the Premier League to Jeremy Doku who completed 84. Conor O’Neil reports for the Athletic that Ndiaye completed 49% of his take ons last season. Clearly, Ndiayes ability to beat a man with his dribbling and trickery is a clear strength in his game. Iliman Ndiaye’s ability with his dribbling is an elite attribute as the statistics indicate.
Iliman Ndiaye’s ability to thrive in one-on-one situations with the ball at his feet does look to be a major asset for Enzo Maresca to unleash. When that trait is coupled with what Manchester City have in their squad, it becomes a tantalizing prospect to consider. Ndiaye combining with Haaland, Cherki, Doku, Semenyo, Foden or Allan in the final third is a mouth-watering thought.
Ndiaye’s ability to stretch an opponent’s defence and create opportunities with his dribbling and clever short passing should be an attacking weapon for his new team. Also, his ability to combine with the players mentioned above makes him seem like the ideal signing for the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders.
Final thoughts.
When Iliman Ndiaye is finally announced as a Manchester City player, he will bring another elite trait to Enzo Maresca’s squad. Ndiaye’s dribbling prowess is an attribute that will be a major attacking weapon for City. In a squad filled with players with elite traits and attributes, Iliman Ndiaye will add another which should make Enzo Maresca’s side a more formidable attacking force.